Fish-Man Island lies at the very center of the world, occupying a unique position. Due to racial prejudice and the high market value of mermaid girls in human society, it has suffered countless pirate invasions since the dawn of the Great Pirate Era.
If not for Whitebeard staking his flag on Fish-Man Island, one could easily imagine that the island would have fallen into ruin within just a few years.
Now—
With Whitebeard's flag no longer providing protection, Fish-Man Island once again faces direct threats from pirates and slaver crews.
As king of Fish-Man Island, Neptune, outmatched in military strength, can only watch helplessly as the situation grows increasingly dire.
He understands all too well.
If things do not improve, the island's downfall is only a matter of time.
Precisely because he sees this reality so clearly, Neptune has considered seeking protection from the Big Mom Pirates upon hearing rumors about them.
After all, in both Fish-Man Island and the New World, the banner of an Emperor carries far more weight than the Marines.
It may sound absurd, but it is the truth.
Neptune rested his forehead on his hand, casting a shadow over his eyes.
Suddenly—
From outside the throne room, the voice of the Right Minister rang out in shock and fear.
"Y-You... why are you here...!?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing the Right Minister's voice filled with terror, Neptune and the Left Minister tensed, instinctively turning toward the slightly ajar throne room doors.
As they looked over, they saw the Right Minister stumbling backward into the room, his weapon nowhere to be seen.
Sensing something was wrong, Neptune quickly stood, stepping onto the red carpet before his throne, his gaze heavy as he looked toward the entrance.
"Right Minister, what happened?"
"Y-Your Majesty Neptune... B-Bacardi..."
"What?"
Seeing the Right Minister trembling and unable to form a complete sentence, Neptune furrowed his brows, feeling a foreboding sense of dread.
The Left Minister instinctively moved in front of Neptune, his expression tense.
As a civil official, it was a reflexive action.
Meanwhile, the Right Minister, a military officer, looked as though he had just witnessed something terrifying, retreating in panic.
A towering shadow fell over the Right Minister's fear-stricken face.
At the same time, a deep and distinct voice echoed from beyond the doors.
"Is this the best that Ryugu Palace's elite guards can do? No wonder they can't even protect the 'gates' of Fish-Man Island."
"Who's there!?"
Hearing the voice, Neptune's eyes sharpened. He no longer expected to get any useful information from the terrified Right Minister.
The speaker did not respond immediately but instead stepped into the throne room one step at a time.
Neptune and the Left Minister focused their gazes.
The newcomer was clad in black, with short, neatly cut black hair, sharp facial features, and an air of commanding presence. A long sword with a black sheath and red patterns hung at his waist, and his entire being exuded an aura of lethal sharpness.
What stood out the most was the white weasel perched on his shoulder, nibbling on a piece of coral in its tiny paws.
"You're..."
With just one glance, Neptune recognized the intruder.
His face paled dramatically as he exclaimed, "Bacardi Maude!!!"
"That man... Why is he here!? What happened to the guards... Why was there no alarm!?"
The Left Minister, standing protectively in front of Neptune, trembled violently at the sight of Maude's sudden, unannounced presence in Ryugu Palace.
The Right Minister, who stood closest to Maude, quivered as he answered the Left Minister's unspoken question in a voice filled with grief and terror.
"The—The soldiers... He 'killed' them all...!!!"
"What!?"
Neptune and the Left Minister's pupils contracted sharply.
"Bacardi Maude, how dare you do such a thing!?"
The news of his fallen soldiers sent Neptune into a rage.
Driven by overwhelming fury, he lunged at Maude without a second thought.
Maude glanced at the armor-clad Right Minister, who was muttering incoherently, then calmly turned his attention to the charging Neptune, shaking his head slightly.
"A commander of Ryugu Palace's military can't even distinguish between 'life and death'... That's why I said, it's no wonder you can't even guard the entrance to Fish-Man Island."
Before he even finished speaking, Maude suddenly unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
Invisible black shockwaves rippled outward like waves spreading across the air, swiftly sweeping through the throne room.
The Right Minister, being the closest, immediately collapsed with his eyes rolled back, unconscious.
The Left Minister followed shortly after, losing consciousness in mere seconds and falling stiffly to the floor.
Neptune, however, trembled but managed to stand his ground, staring at Maude with a heavy expression.
"Conqueror's Haki...!"
"Correct."
Maude casually slipped his hands into his pockets and said indifferently, "So rest assured, those small fry outside aren't dead. They simply couldn't withstand my Haki and fainted."
"You..."
Neptune felt a wave of relief, but his gaze grew even sharper.
Maude, unbothered by Neptune's hostility, glanced toward the throne room doors.
"So in all of Ryugu Palace, including you, there are only four combatants worth mentioning..."
Through his Observation Haki, he sensed three strong presences rapidly approaching. They were undoubtedly Fish-Man Island's finest warriors—the three Neptune brothers.
Apart from them, there was another presence locked away in a sealed chamber far away.
No doubt it was Princess Shirahoshi, who had remained inside the Hard-Shell Tower for eight years.
"What is your objective, Bacardi Maude!?"
Neptune's expression darkened as he braced himself, ready to attack at any moment.
Maude had no intention of revealing his true purpose. Instead, he continued looking toward the door, seemingly waiting for the three approaching warriors to arrive.
"Not long ago, in a certain part of the New World, I wiped out a pirate crew... What was their name again? Never mind, I forgot. Anyway, I happened to save a mermaid girl in the process."
Neptune was momentarily stunned.
Maude continued, "Coincidentally, that was the second time I encountered her. The second time I saved her. And then, she asked me to come ten thousand meters below the sea to help Fish-Man Island, which has been thrown into chaos by pirates."
"..."
Neptune remained silent, studying Maude carefully.
Maude shrugged nonchalantly. "I had nothing better to do and was curious about what the seafloor looked like. So I came. I don't mind granting that mermaid's request and lending Fish-Man Island a hand."
"Bacardi Maude, do you really expect me to believe that so easily?"
Neptune's face was grim, though a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes.
Maude smiled. "That's fine. As the king of Fish-Man Island, you're free to treat my words as nothing more than a little story. Either way, whatever I decide to do—you'll just have to watch."
"Arrogant!"
Neptune's aura surged to its peak in an instant.
At the same moment, the three royal princes, representing the top combat force of Ryugu Kingdom, burst through the palace doors with weapons in hand. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Maude in a triangular formation.
"Bacardi Maude, you are not welcome here!"
The eldest prince, Fukaboshi, who had a dignified face, long wavy blue hair, and a golden trident in hand, stood firm, his body wrapped in bloodstained bandages. His cold gaze locked onto Maude.
As the heir to the Fish-Man Kingdom, even though he was fully aware of Maude's notorious reputation and formidable strength, he showed no sign of backing down in terms of presence or stance.
The other two princes mirrored his resolve, their weapons pointed sharply at Maude.
It was as if they were just waiting for Shark to give the order, and they would attack without hesitation.
However, Maude paid no heed to their weapons aimed at him. Instead, he smiled and looked straight at Neptune, who was ready to strike at any moment.
"At the request of a certain mermaid girl, I intend to rid your island of all the pirates. But before that, I need a lure to draw them all in—and, as it happens, Ryugu Palace holds the perfect bait."
"What are you planning?!"
Neptune's expression changed drastically as realization dawned, veins bulging at the corners of his eyes.
"Oh, nothing much. I just need Princess Shirahoshi to help with a small favor."
"!!!"
Enraged at the mere mention of his daughter's name, Neptune and the three princes instinctively launched their attacks on Maude.
"Flowing Water Spear!"
"Twin Fang Flash!"
"Rolling Fist!"
"Super Current!"
A barrage of powerful and distinctive techniques surged toward Maude from multiple directions.
Yet, the instant they unleashed their attacks, Maude vanished into thin air, leaving behind only a ripple of shadow energy, which was instantly swallowed by their combined strikes.
"Where did he go?!"
As their attacks dissipated, Neptune and his sons stared blankly at the now-empty space.
"This is bad!"
Realization struck them like lightning, and they immediately turned toward the Hard-Shell Tower.
Meanwhile—
Maude reappeared in front of the Hard-Shell Tower's entrance.
This was the place where Princess Shirahoshi had been confined for the past eight years.
The tower's doors were constructed of thick steel bars, appearing sturdy and impenetrable.
Yet, both the doors and the surrounding stone walls bore deep scars from countless slashes, left by blades, spears, axes, and other weapons.
"This is the place."
Glancing briefly at the door and the weapon-inflicted gashes, Maude reached out and effortlessly pushed open the towering fifteen-meter-tall gates.
RUMBLE—
With a single step, Maude entered the chamber.
Inside, on an enormous mattress, sat a colossal yet breathtakingly beautiful mermaid.
She was the very reason Maude had come to Fish-Man Island—Princess Shirahoshi.
At that moment, her brilliant emerald-green eyes shimmered with nervousness as she timidly looked at the intruder in her room.
"Who are you?"
Maude did not immediately respond. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, taking a moment to observe the mermaid princess.
Her upper body was clad in a thin garment, her ample bust and graceful, slender waist left partially exposed. Her fair skin gleamed under the light, making it nearly impossible to look away.
Her beauty was in no way inferior to that of the so-called most beautiful woman in the world, Boa Hancock.
Truly, a once-in-a-lifetime beauty…
Maude mused inwardly before speaking calmly: "Nice to meet you, Princess Shirahoshi."
"Huh? You know me? But I don't know you. Who are you?"
"Bacardi Maude. You may call me Maude."
"Maude…"
Shirahoshi murmured the name softly.
Having spent over eight years confined within the Hard-Shell Tower, she was completely oblivious to the events of the outside world. Naturally, she had no knowledge of Maude's infamy.
Maude added, "Oh, and by the way, I'm a pirate."
"A pirate?!"
Shirahoshi's face instantly turned pale with fear as she instinctively scooted backward.
Noting her reaction, Maude chuckled, then casually sat cross-legged near the door.
"Princess Shirahoshi, has your father told you about the crisis Fish-Man Island is currently facing?"
"Crisis? What crisis?"
Despite her timid nature, Shirahoshi couldn't ignore anything concerning Fish-Man Island. Summoning her courage, she immediately asked.
"So he hasn't told you…"
Maude shook his head slightly, resting his chin on his hand as he continued, "Right now, there are roughly twenty thousand pirates scattered across Fish-Man Island. Do you have any idea what that means, Princess?"
"T-Twenty thousand pirates…?!"
Shirahoshi's eyes widened in horror. It was evident that she understood the weight of such a number.
And the reason for her fear was, of course, the word "pirate."
"That's right. Twenty thousand ruthless pirates. The Ryugu Kingdom's forces are no match for them."
Maude's gaze sharpened as he looked at Shirahoshi's trembling face.
"You mean… you don't even know that Fish-Man Island's gates and Coral Hill have already fallen?"
"I—I didn't know…"
Shirahoshi's unease deepened. She was no longer worried about herself but about the citizens outside the palace.
"They've kept even that from you? Your father must really cherish you."
Maude shook his head slightly before stating plainly:
"To put it simply, the Ryugu Kingdom's forces have suffered severe losses in their battles against the pirates. They've been pushed back to the palace and can no longer protect the island's residents."
"Every day, young mermaids are abducted by pirates. Countless Fish-Men are slaughtered mercilessly."
"How… how could this happen…?"
Shirahoshi covered her mouth, her eyes trembling violently, unable to even fathom the nightmarish reality Maude described.
"However, I can help drive those evil pirates away."
"M-Maude-sama… are you telling the truth?"
The sheltered princess, naive and kind-hearted, gazed at Maude with hopeful eyes.
Not for a second did she doubt his words.
"Of course."
Maude nodded confidently before flashing a slight smile. "But to drive them away, I'll need your help, Princess Shirahoshi."
"Huh? But I…"
Shirahoshi hesitated.
She wanted to explain that she couldn't leave the Hard-Shell Tower due to the danger outside, but then she realized that if she didn't, Maude wouldn't be able to get rid of the pirates…
Thinking of Fish-Man Island's plight, she quickly set aside her fear and looked at Maude with determination.
"Maude-sama, how can I help?"
"Simple. Be the bait."
"Bait?"
A massive question mark seemed to pop up above Shirahoshi's head.
Maude chuckled. "Yes, just bait. If you show yourself outside, every pirate on the island will flock to you. Then, I'll wipe them all out in one fell swoop."
Although he said "drive them away," Maude had no intention of letting them live.
To him, the most efficient way to deal with these monsters was to simply kill them all.
"Understood, Maude-sama!"
Shirahoshi clenched her fists and declared with newfound resolve, "If it means getting rid of the pirates, I'll do my best!"
"Then it's settled."
After a round of persuasion, Maude stood up and habitually extended his hand toward Princess Shirahoshi.
Shirahoshi looked at Maude's outstretched right hand in confusion. Suddenly, a deeply imprinted memory flashed through her mind. Carefully, she extended her hand as well, gently touching her pinky finger to Maude's.
Seeing Shirahoshi's action, Maude was slightly taken aback.
Is this… a pinky promise?
He wondered.
"Shirahoshi!!!"
Suddenly, Neptune's urgent voice echoed from outside the Hard-Shell Tower.
In the next moment, Neptune and his three sons forcefully pushed the doors open and rushed inside, only to see Princess Shirahoshi making a pinky promise with Maude.
"Bacardi Maude, let go of Shirahoshi!!!"
Seeing their most cherished family member exposed before the infamous Maude, Neptune and the three princes bared their fangs in fury, roaring in anger.
"Father… Brothers…?"
Shirahoshi looked blankly at the imposing Neptune and her brothers.
Swoosh—!
Just then, a piercing sound of something cutting through the air came from outside the Hard-Shell Tower.
A giant sword, one typically wielded by giants, shot through the wide-open door like an arrow, heading straight for Shirahoshi, who was still sitting on her mattress.
Neptune and the princes had their backs to the entrance. Even though they heard the incoming attack, it was too late for them to react. They could only watch helplessly as the enormous blade soared past them.
"Danger…!!!"
Seeing the greatsword streaking directly toward Shirahoshi, Neptune and the princes turned pale with fear.
Shirahoshi, however, was slow to react. At this critical moment, she hadn't even registered the imminent danger.
"I remember this scene."
Maude casually raised his right hand and, with an air of nonchalance, used his index and middle fingers—both imbued with Armament Haki—to effortlessly catch the incoming greatsword by its tip.
The massive blade, which had been flying at immense speed, came to an immediate stop.
Crack… Crack…
A series of tiny fractures spread across the surface of the sword where Maude had pinched it. The next moment, the entire blade shattered into dozens of fragments, clattering onto the floor with a crisp ringing sound.
It was only then that Shirahoshi, finally realizing what had just happened, turned pale as she stared at the remains of the shattered sword littering the ground.
Seeing that Shirahoshi was unharmed, Neptune and the princes heaved a sigh of relief. But as they turned to look at Maude, their faces were filled with shock and disbelief.
"A weapon thrown by Vander Decken carries enough force to embed itself deeply into a reinforced door!"
"Yet he stopped it… with just his fingers?!"
Neptune and the three princes were utterly stunned.
Even though they knew Maude was extraordinarily powerful, the way he had just stopped the greatsword shattered their understanding of what was possible.
Maude glanced down at the broken sword fragment still held between his fingers and murmured to himself,
"Was it called the Mark-Mark Fruit or the Target-Target Fruit?
Either way, that ability is pretty interesting… Worth taking for myself."
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